Grave-vault.



F. RABKIN.

GRAVE VAULT.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 25, 1914.-

1 1 5 1 ,2 1 7, Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

COLUMBIA PLANCIGRAPH co., WASHINGTON. D. c.

FFIQE.

FRANK RABKIN, 0F COLUMBUS, OHIO.

GRAVE-VAULT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 24%, 1915.

Application filed September 25, 1914. Serial No. 863,588.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK RABKIN, a subject of the Czar of Russia, residing at C0- lumbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grave-Vaults, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to grave vaults and aims to provide an exceedingly simple and efiective structure whereby the base and top may be securely held in locked position with respect to each other. It is well known in the manufacture of these vaults that considerable difficulty arises in making the locking portions of both the base'and the top so that they will always lie in a true plane. It is an exceedingly simple matter for either the base or the top to warp slightly or be strained during shipment and in this manner some difficulty has been experienced in efiecting a tight and eflicient locking of the base and top.

My invention has for its main object the provision of a structure whereby slight variations and distortions of either the base or top may be compensated for and this struc ture is further such that the base and top may be held together with no play between them when in locked position.

These objects I attain in one instance by the structure shown in the accompanying sheet of drawings, wherein similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts, and in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of my assembled grave vault, Fig. 2 is a section taken on line A-A of Fig. 1 showing the top and base locked together, Fig. 3 is a similar view but'showing the top in unlocked position with respect to its base, and, Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section through the locking structure and showing the vault in its unlocked position.

In these drawings, the numeral 1 designates an ordinary form of top, this top being shaped adjacent its lower edges to present a peripheral V-shaped ridge 2 whose lower leg isinclined outwardly and upwardly. Below the level of this ridge 2, the top extends downwardly a slight distance and then is bent at right angles as is shown at 3 to snugly fit the flared portion 4 of the base designated generally at 5. This base has a slightly elevated bottom as is shown and carries on its upper normally inside face a plurality of transversely extending housbolts themselves.

ings 6. These housings are open at both ends and are so arranged that'the latch bolts 7 therein may engage the peripheral ridge 2. These latch bolts carry wedge pointed engaging ends as shown at 8 and extend inwardly within the housings some considerable distance. Each latch bolt is provided with a downwardly extending finger 9 adapted to serve as abutments for the ends of coil springs 10. It will be noted that one spring serves for each pair of latch bolts and the normal tendency is to force these bolts outward. In order that their outward movement may be limited so that they will not dislodge themselves when the top is in removed position, I have provided the base proper with upstanding fingers 11 so located that they engage the lingers 9 on the latch bolts themselves when these bolts are moved to their extreme outermost position.

v- In order that these vaults may be conveniently shipped and also for purposes of demonstration, I have apertured the top wall of each of the housings 6 as is shown at 12, the upper portion of each of the latch bolts being also apertured as at 13. When these latch bolts are moved rearwardly to assume an inoperative position, the apertures l2 and 13 are arranged to register and pins 1d may then be inserted to guard against possible outward movement of the In order that these pins may be readily removed, I have provided their upper ends with ring formations 15 through which a suitable tool may be readily inserted to insure their withdrawal.

There are a number of advantages resulting from the structure just described. One of these resides in providing the upper surface of the base with the upstanding housings 6. By so locating these housings that they lie upon the interior of the vault, they may effectively serve the purpose of rest rails for receiving the casket itself and may, of course, be decorated or shaped to whatever degree desired. This particular location also guards against possible removal of the housings from the exterior of the vault. A further feature of advantage resulting from this structure, resides in the peculiar V-shaped engaging ridge along the lower edges of the top. By reference to the drawings, it will be apparent that the latch bolts themselves will engage and lock the top whether they are in their extreme outermost position or not. In other words, a locking will be effected if the bolts extend only slightly beyond the inner edge of the top it self. Likewise, they will have a-loc king action if they extend outwardly their limit to seat themselves .in the end of the Vshaped depressions. However, the bottom leg of these V-shaped depressions are on an incline and consequently, the farther the, top is pressed downwardly into engagement with the base itself,,the farther: these latch bolts may move outward. Therefore, either the topor' the base itself may be slightly warped, but still permit the locks to function properly as the various corners may be pressed down. 1 These springs then serve to automati- Cally lock the top and base together when the two are placed in locking position with respect to each other and by properly locating the ridge 2 with respect to the latch bolt, all rattle may be obviated. This particular arrangement of locking structure also insures'that the flared portion 3 of the top will always lie in firm engagement with the flared portion f of the base and thus a substantially air tight vault may be had.

What I claim, is: c

1. A. grave vault comprising a top, an up Wardly and outwardly inclined ridge along the lower edges of said top, a base, a plural ity of latch bolts carried by said base arranged to engage said ridge, spacedupstanding housings extending transversely across the top of said base and serving as rest rails within which said bolts are contimid, and spring means forforcing said bolts. outwardly into engagement with said ridges. 2. A grave vault comprising a top, a base,

. are arranged to engage.

I a plurality of spaced upstanding housings extending transversely across said base serving asrest rails, latch bolts movable within said housings, and means carried by the lower edges of said top with which said 3. grave vault comprising a top, a base, a plurality of spaced upstanding housings extending transversely across'said base serv ing as rest rails, latch bolts movable within said housings, means carried by the lower edges of-said top with which said bolts are c arranged to engage, and spring means for forcing said bolts outwardly intoengagement with said means.

4:. A grave vault comprising a top, a V- shaped ridgealeng the lower edges of said top, a base, a plurality of spaced upstanding housings extending transversely across 7 said base, latch bolts slidably mounted in opposite ends of said housing-arranged to engage said ridges, the underside of. said" bolts being in a plane parallelwith theplane of the base thereby engaging. theunder leg 1 of said V-shaped ridges at an angle, a stop member within each end of said housing, a

stop carried by each bolt arranged to cooperate with said stop member to limit the outward movement of the bolts, and spring means for normally forcing said bolts outwardly In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RANK RA KI Witnesses:

l Vz L'rrR E. L. Boon, C. Srmrrmnp.

m s o thisraten ma e q taiaed. q five en each, b asldxes i th ommi si ner of ik'fi fi'i a h n n, 1-. 

